I keep stubbornly fighting this battle between my own will and God's plan for my life. And by the grace of God, I keep losing....
Are You Letting Your Will Get in the Way of God’s Perfect Plan?
Overwhelm
What will I do with her? Will I remember my lesson and treat her well, or will I demand more of the same that sent her away?
My Struggle With Addiction and the Freedom I Found in Surrender
At its peak, my addiction took over my entire day. First thing in the morning, I'd slink out of my bedroom to start the day with a little indulgence before the kids got up...
The #1 Reason Why You Feel Like You Don’t Belong
God, why won't you rid me of my flaws? I'm too expressive, too passionate, too talky, too LOUD! (Click here to be encouraged through a quick story about why God doesn't just "snap his fingers".) Have you ever caught yourself crying a similar prayer? Have you ever wondered why you feel like you don't fit?... Continue Reading →
Do You Feel a Lack of Spiritual Connection?
Are you feeling a lack of spiritual connection? Remember: God knows you perfectly. He will meet you in a way that is right for you. Don't lose heart: He's everywhere!
Self-Care: Are You an Extrovert, Introvert, or Ambivert?
You may not be what you think you are. Find out why I've experienced all three "-verts" - extrovert, introvert, and ambivert - and how I've come to embrace who I am today (and you can, too!)
Twitter Vs. A Social-Media-Phobic
Hi. I'm Sara, and I'm a social-media-phobic. Read to find out why, up until six months ago, I loathed all forms of social media...
Women, Living Free (Embrace Your Whole Self!)
Whatever your day job is, does that title encompass all that you are? Or, are you more than that? What if you lived your life becoming and embracing the WHOLE you?
Lord, I Need Refreshing
I'm hiding in my room with the door closed. My family is invaluable, enthusiastic, entertaining, loving, and caring; but today, I just want them to go away.
Stevie the Shop Cat: An Adoption Love Story
"I’m praying we get to keep Stevie..." For a parent who dislikes animals, these are dangerous words to hear. Find out how our family came to love Stevie, the shop cat.
The Value of a Book Review
Ever wonder why people post book reviews - either on their blogs or other mediums? I mean, does anyone even read them? I don't know why it took me so long to put the pieces together, but I used to wonder the same thing. That is, until one day, I thought, "Wait a minute. I... Continue Reading →
How a Mentor Can Enrich Your Life (and Help!): My Sister, My Mentor
January is National Mentoring Month, and I'd love to tell you about my sister, my mentor - partly to brag on her, but also to paint a picture of how a mentor can enrich your life.
Being Emotional is NOT Being Weak
I'm so tired of people assuming that because I'm a deep-feeling, emotional, expressive person, I must also be irrational, mentally-unstable, and weak.
How To Accept More Grace (and Less Condemnation) in the 2020 New Year
How More Grace (and Less Condemnation) Can Be Found in 2020 Keep reading to discover why it may be healthier for you to live out a New Year's Hope, rather than make a New Year's Resolution. Christmas is over. And if I’m quite honest, that tree standing over there in the corner of my living... Continue Reading →
Beat Holiday Stress: Why November is the Perfect Time to Plan for Christmas
What is your least favourite month of the year? Mine used to be November. Why? Because November feels dreary. November feels like an in between-Thanksgiving-and-Christmas, useless kind of a month during which the dormant, brown grass becomes a reflection of what I feel inside - not alive, not dead, just somewhat depressed while I wait... Continue Reading →
Why You’ll Never Regret Obeying God
“Is that you, God?” How do you know whether a random thought that pops into your head is from God? What do you do when that random thought is so absurd that you seriously doubt it could be God? Obeying God Isn’t a Science. It seems to me that: Recognizing God's voice and obeying God... Continue Reading →
A Childhood School Story: How I Forgave Miss Winter
(Names and details herein have been changed to protect identities.) I knew my cheeks were glowing as red as my teacher’s cherry-painted fingernails. Salty tears rolled over my lips and down my chin. While I cried, Miss Winter towered over me, lecturing and wagging a polished forefinger at my burning face. I wasn’t a troublemaker.... Continue Reading →
Are You Tired and Stressed? Read This and Have a Good Laugh
I get it. It seems there are a million-and-one things screaming for our attention every day. We get tired. We're overwhelmed, and we're stressed-out. When we've reached the end of our unraveling rope, (and even then, I believe God works in our weaknesses) it's encouraging to hear stories - especially funny ones - about other... Continue Reading →
How to Find Balance: My Story of Sugar Vs. Community
Can Someone Tell Me How to Find Balance? I used to be a no-sugar Mom. Have you ever fed your kids sugar and then watched (with horror) as your sweet angels morphed into sugar-crazed Tasmanian devils? I have. "So, what?" you may say. "Kids run around in hyper-drive for an hour and then they crash. We've all been... Continue Reading →
Do You Believe in Miracles? I Do. Here’s Why.
At first, I wasn’t pregnant; then, I was. Simple. At least, that’s how it seemed when I first found out I was pregnant with my first child. Beliefs Change As my pregnancy progressed, however, I began reading books on how my baby was growing. I learned more about the workings of each delicate part that... Continue Reading →
Living in the Golden Years? Hats Off to You!
Dad's Music Hat My Dad has a black, velvet, cowboy hat. He reserves it for special occasions; specifically, he only wears it when playing the fiddle before an audience. When I was a child, I tagged along to many of Dad’s performances at weddings, anniversaries, and fundraisers. While Dad entertained onstage alongside his music buddies,... Continue Reading →
Mid-Month Moment: Why I Wrote A Simple Thank-You Poem to God
Is it summer, yet? Calendar-wise, it's not summer until June 21st: weather-wise, though, summer has arrived! Today, despite the fact that it's sunny and 33 degrees Celsius, I'm still thinking about spring. I love spring. What do I love about spring? First, let me tell you what I don't love: how dirt and melted snow have... Continue Reading →
How to Pick the Right Book and Avoid Wasting Time
We’re busy women - moms who love their jobs. We chauffeur, make supper, go to work, make time to exercise, nurture, do laundry, help with homework, weed the garden, comfort sick kids, clean, act as household secretary, change diapers, etc. We have very little spare time. So, when I need a break from life, I like... Continue Reading →
A Tank of Grace for the Morning Sloth
What’s your morning personality? Systematic Riser or Morning Sloth? If you lean toward the latter, I can identify. I confess I don’t have a morning routine. Not in the slightest. I am a wayward morning sloth. My husband, on the other hand, observes a daily morning ritual that baffles me: Every day upon waking, Justin... Continue Reading →
Every year, I plan an Easter Egg Hunt for my three children. I love to try out new ideas and change things up from previous years. This year, I found this Easter Egg Fitness Treasure Hunt from http://www.superhealthykids.com. With a few tweaks to customize Natalie's fantastic idea to suit our family, we're ready for Easter... Continue Reading →
Mid-Month Moment: Inspiration for Your Easter Egg Hunt
Beloved: A Sheep-ly Story of Sanctification
I once found a sheep stumbling around my living room. She scrambled onto the linen loveseat and, like a dog performing a rounding ritual before its nap, turned circles with her muddy hooves. After pounding a soiled ring into one of the cushions, she dropped down to the floor. She wandered aimlessly around the room... Continue Reading →
How to Play Easter Trivia Egg Hunt (Another Ad-Lent Family Activity)
Our family is back with another Ad-Lent family activity! If you’re unfamiliar with Ad-Lent (which is our family’s take on anticipating Easter), click here to find out more. Easter is approaching, and there’s no better time than the season of Lent to teach your children about Christ’s sacrifice for them and his victory over death.... Continue Reading →
Five Bucks: A Life Lesson in Community
At five o’clock, the doorbell rang; and immediately, Thales wailed. It wasn’t really the doorbell’s fault. It was the “witching hour”. (WITCHING HOUR: The time of day when a child casts aside his God-given character in exchange for an unreasonable, erratic, emotion-driven persona. This recurring phenomenon begins at approximately quarter to five in the evening... Continue Reading →
Pepsi, Mountain Trails, and the Father’s Heart
My heart belongs to the Rocky Mountains. They call to me, “Come home. Return home.” The mountains are my heritage – predestined by the Father, and set into motion by my parents more than fifty years ago… Mom and Dad were married in a white church, nestled inside a little town on the prairie –... Continue Reading →
Hagar’s Story: God Sees You (Part Two)
She would not tolerate the abuse any longer. After weeks of harsh treatment at the hands of Sarai, her owner, Hagar had finally devised a plan to run away. She lay in bed, ready and waiting. When most everyone in the camp was asleep, Hagar rolled off her thin sleeping mat and slipped her tanned... Continue Reading →
Sara, Living Free 